Basic Business Terms

The foundational step in learning business Polish is understanding the basic terms used daily in a professional environment.

Company in Polish is “firma”. When you want to inquire about someone’s workplace, you might ask, “W jakiej firmie pracujesz?” which means “Which company do you work for?”

Meeting translates to “spotkanie”. To set up a meeting, you could say, “Czy możemy umówić się na spotkanie?” meaning “Can we arrange a meeting?”

Contract is “umowa”. When discussing agreements, you might need to say, “Musimy przeanalizować tę umowę,” which translates to “We need to review this contract.”

Communicating About Projects and Tasks

In the workplace, discussing projects and tasks is common. Here are some phrases that might come in handy:

Project in Polish is “projekt”. When assigning a project, you might say, “Przydzielono mi nowy projekt,” which means “I have been assigned a new project.”

Task is “zadanie”. To discuss daily tasks, you could use, “Jakie masz dzisiaj zadania?” meaning “What tasks do you have today?”

Deadline is known as “termin”. A useful sentence might be, “Jaki jest ostateczny termin na zakończenie tego projektu?” which translates to “What is the final deadline to complete this project?”

Negotiating and Making Deals

Negotiation is a critical skill in business. Knowing the right terms can help you navigate these discussions more effectively.

Negotiation is “negocjacje”. You might find yourself saying, “Negocjacje były trudne, ale udane,” meaning “The negotiations were tough but successful.”

Offer in Polish is “oferta”. In a meeting, you might hear, “Przedstawię Państwu naszą ofertę,” which means “I will present our offer to you.”

Discount is called “rabat”. In a sales context, you might use, “Czy mogę otrzymać rabat przy większym zamówieniu?” translating to “Can I get a discount on a larger order?”

Discussing Finances

Finance-related vocabulary is crucial for discussing budgets, salaries, and expenses.

Budget in Polish is “budżet”. A typical sentence might be, “Musimy dostosować nasze wydatki do budżetu,” meaning “We need to adjust our expenses to the budget.”

Salary is “pensja”. During salary negotiations, you might say, “Jakie są oczekiwania dotyczące pensji?” which asks “What are the salary expectations?”

Invoice is “faktura”. You might need to say, “Proszę wysłać fakturę na nasz adres e-mail,” which means “Please send the invoice to our email address.”

Attending Conferences and Networking

Attending conferences and networking events is a great way to expand business contacts.

Conference in Polish is “konferencja”. You might use, “Czy weźmiesz udział w tej konferencji?” which means “Will you participate in this conference?”

Networking translates to “nawiązywanie kontaktów”. A useful networking phrase could be, “Chciałbym nawiązać nowe kontakty biznesowe,” meaning “I would like to make new business contacts.”

Business card is “wizytówka”. At an event, you might say, “Czy mogę prosić o Twoją wizytówkę?” which translates to “May I have your business card?”

Concluding Business Interactions

Politeness and formality are valued in Polish business culture, so knowing how to end a conversation or meeting politely is important.

Thank you in Polish is “dziękuję”. At the end of a meeting, it’s polite to say, “Dziękuję za spotkanie,” meaning “Thank you for the meeting.”

Goodbye is “do widzenia”. When leaving an office, you might say, “Do widzenia, miłego dnia,” which translates to “Goodbye, have a nice day.”

I look forward to our next meeting can be said as, “Czekam na nasze następne spotkanie.” This expresses anticipation and keeps the business relationship warm.

By incorporating these phrases into your business interactions, you’ll not only enhance your communication skills but also build stronger, more respectful relationships with your Polish colleagues and partners. Learning Polish for business purposes shows a commitment to effective and considerate communication, qualities that are highly valued in any professional setting.